AmyOops

Among parents' litanies of fears for their children, abduction lands squarely in the "nightmare" column; the possibility is almost too unsettling to contemplate for more than a few moments. For parents of outgoing, trusting, guileless little ones, the concern is even more harrowing. The Safe Side program, geared toward kids ages 5 to 11, aims to promote stranger savvy in an entertaining and accessible format, and it boasts a very impressive pedigree: Julie Clark, the creative force behind the Baby Einstein video series, and America's Most Wanted host John Walsh, teamed up on the presentation. As the cover very clearly spells it out, The Safe Side offers "hot tips to keep cool kids safe with people they don't know and kinda know." And while the use of the word "with" in that sentence underscores the producers' intention to edify, rather than scare, the type-A paranoids among us will read it as "from" and be thankful that somebody at least has taken up the cause in a format kids will relate to. The pigtailed "Safe Side Superchick" hosts the show, which begins by defining "Who Is a 'Don't Know?'  " and then lays out seven "Hot Tips" that will serve as defensive tools. Rules including "Don't open the door," "Beware of tricks," and "Don't know? Don't talk," are eminently repeatable, as is the presentation itself. Clearly, The Safe Side is one for the family to watch together. Worth noting: The producers have promised to donate 10 percent of their gross proceeds to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.